


The Problem with Silver Linings

by InTheShadows



Series: StarkBucks Bingo 2020 Fills [4]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ana Jarvis Is a Good Bro, Banter, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Don't copy to another site, Edwin Jarvis is a good bro, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Magic, Portals, Protective Avengers, StarkBucks Bingo 2020, Team as Family, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Hates Magic, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark being Tony Stark, Twice the Howards For Twice the Fun, protective Dum-E
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:33:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheShadows/pseuds/InTheShadows
Summary: Tony really hates magic. Has he mentioned that lately? He really,reallyhates magic. Nothing ever good ever comes of it. What he hates even more than magic? Portals. So when the two are combined, he really isn't happy. His point is proven when said magical portal spits of not one, but two, different versions of his father along Ana and Jarvis, young Aunt Peggy and his Mama. Things get... a little bit... interesting after that, shall we say? This may be a blessing in some ways, but it also a curse. It ends up being something else too - a way to finally lay some of his demons to rest, maybe.
Relationships: Ana Jarvis & Tony Stark, Edwin Jarvis & Tony Stark, Howard Stark & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Maria Stark & Tony Stark, Peggy Carter & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Avengers Team
Series: StarkBucks Bingo 2020 Fills [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070447
Comments: 17
Kudos: 311
Collections: StarkBucksBingo2020





	The Problem with Silver Linings

**Author's Note:**

> Title: The Problem with Sliver Linings  
> Collaborator Name: InTheShadows  
> Link: [The Problem with Sliver Linings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462458)  
> Square Filled: G3/magic  
> Ship/Main Pairing: Tony Stark/Bucky Barnes  
> Rating: G  
> Major Tags & Triggers: Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Time Travel Via Magic, Hurt/Comfort  
> Summary: Tony really hates magic. Has he mentioned that lately? He really, _really_ hates magic. Nothing ever good ever comes of it. What he hates even more than magic? Portals. So when the two are combined, he really isn't happy. His point is proven when said magical portal spits of not one, but two, different versions of his father along Ana and Jarvis, young Aunt Peggy and his Mama. Things get... a little bit... interesting after that, shall we say? This may be a blessing in some ways, but it also a curse. It ends up being something else too - a way to finally lay some of his demons to rest, maybe.  
> Word Count: 14,930
> 
>  ~~Readers please note this story isn't edited yet. Yes, I know, bad, bad, but I wanted to get this published while it was still 2020. Apparently ao3 doesn't let you back date a story past a year. (Yes I know because I tried this before.) So I just need to get this posted here before ao3 decides its the next day. (They always do this early, so...) I'll have this edited in a couple of days, promise. If it bothers anyone that much, you can come back and read it then.~~  
>  Story now edited.

Whoever thought superheroing was all action and no boredom was in for a big surprise. All battles and glory is not the way it goes. Sometimes sure. Sometimes it is blood and grit and adrenaline rushing through your veins. It is life down to the very base of it. The very core. Wondering if maybe, just maybe, this will be the last thing you ever do. Other times -

Well. Other times it is only a step up from a board meeting. And the only reason it  _ is _ a step up is because of how much Tony truly hates board meetings. Paperwork gives him more stimulation than this honestly. 

“Not that this isn’t terribly exciting,” he starts, again, “but are we sure this isn’t more of a Reed thing than ours?” Not that Tony wants to deal with Reed anymore than he wants to deal with board meetings, but he’s finally reached that level of boredom. “Or, you know, literally anyone else but us?” 

Steve sighs, exasperation breaking through his professional mask he always wears on the field. “The Fantastic Four are out of the galaxy and this is’t the X-Men’s jurisdiction.  _ No _ .” 

In defense of Steve, this is not the first time Tony has asked something like this. Or complained. He started as soon as they got here, pretty much and hasn’t stopped since. Tony is enough to test the patience of a saint. He’s been told that often enough over the years. And Steve, no matter what Howard tried to tell him, is no saint. 

Tony sighs again, long and obnoxiously. “Maybe you’re not thinking big picture enough. Surely someone else is more qualified here. Someone, you know, who  _ doesn’t _ have to stand around in a highly advanced suit of armour.” 

Steve doesn’t reply. He doesn’t even bother shifting his gaze off the vaguely glowing purple portal in front of him. Hurry up and wait. He’s said more than once that war and Avengering are fairly similar in that regard. Not that Steve likes the inaction either, but at least he’s used to it. 

In Tony’s defense, however, he isn’t doing this solely to be an obnoxious brat. He is capable of waiting, no matter what certain people - coughPeppercough - might say. He won’t like it, but he can. It’s the portal that has been putting him on edge. Sure it looks different than the portal that appeared over his Tower. It has a different energy reading and so far it hasn't spit any aliens out.  _ Yet. _ No one is saying he has to fly a nuke through it either. Still. 

There are only so many things he can do to distract himself from said portal and the panic that it is slowly creeping up on him. Only so many scans he can run. Only so many tests he can safely perform before he is done. No matter what Tony does, it just sits there. Staring at him. For the past  _ five hours _ now. He is about to go mad. 

Or have a massive panic attack right here in Central Park. Whichever comes first really. It’s getting to the point where Tony wishes something would happen just to cut through the suspense of it all. Dangerous wishing, but it’s not like anything good is going to come out of this. Nothing good  _ ever _ comes out of portals. All Tony is doing is speeding up the process by jinxing them. His nerves can only take so much. 

It doesn't help that they are the only two here right now. At least if Bruce were here right now they could talk science. At least if Clint were here they could goof off around together and annoy the others. At least if Thor were here they could talk about - anything. Nat and Sam would probably be party poopers though, too. And Bucky, well. Tony would like Bucky here most of all. 

Alas it is not to be. The Golden Trio are off on another mission of their own, Thor is in Asgard and Sam and Bruce are back at the Tower, monitoring the situation from there. Because  _ they _ were allowed to leave. No, Tony isn’t upset about that. Not at all. Really. 

Maybe if he tells himself that often enough, he’ll believe it. 

So he and Steve are the only ones stuck here, with Steve in professional mode. It’s not as if they don’t get along now. It’s taken some work and time and possibly a few kicks to the head, but they do. Dare Tony say they are even friends now. Good friends. Someone he can count on no matter what. The fact that it’s Steve isn't the problem per se. It’s just that professional Steve is Tony’s least favorite Steve. He’s no fun at all. 

The suit isn’t really conductive for fidgeting. The most he can do is minorly shift his weight from one foot to the other. Maybe some small finger wiggling. Anything else is either going to be too noticeable or too much waste of the suit’s energy. Not that the latter is really that much of a worry, but still. Best not to give his tells away too easily. 

That means he has all this nervous energy trapped inside of him with no way to let it out. It washes through his limbs, making him twitchier than usual. He never has learned the art of waiting. Not for something like this. Absolutely intolerable. “Are you sure -” 

“Iron Man,” Steve says and oh. It’s in the same tone that he usually says ‘Tony. No.’ Then he turns to look at him. It’s not as if he can make eye contact with Tony’s face hidden away, face plate firmly in place and all, but it feels like he is. It feels as if he is staring straight through Tony with those shocking blue eyes of his. “Is everything okay?” he asks, apparently finally cluing into the fact that Tony isn’t being an ass on purpose. Or he is, but that the purpose is one very specific one.

Tony opens his mouth - to reassure him of course. It’s only a panic attack after all, nothing to get excited about. He’s had enough of them through his life to know how to deal with them, even if he doesn’t like it - but he is saved by the bell. Or by the portal rather. After hours of nothing it begins to swirl and pulse. 

Immediately both of them turn their attention towards it. The dread pools in Tony’s stomach, but he pushes it down. Now is not the time. The wait is over and now it is time for action. Time to move. Time to prepare for whatever is about to be spit out of the swirling depths. 

He can fall apart later, as always. 

What it does spit out though, in the next moment, is something no amount of mental preparing could brace him for. One moment they are alone, the next two people are stumbling out of it, almost falling. Two very familiar people. 

“What on Earth is this? What did you do now?” 

Peggy Carter and -

“What makes you think I did anything? Come on Pegs, you know it’s not always my fault.” Howard. His father.  _ His father _ . Fuck. 

But it is his father as he has never seen him before. Young. Happy. Dark hair. There aren’t any harsh lines set into his face yet. Even whining at the young version of his Aunt Peggy, he is lighter than Tony has ever seen him. 

Steve makes a choking sound and instantly everyone’s attention is on him. “Howard? Peggy?” he croaks, voice devastatingly hopeful. 

“Steve?” Howard asks and oh. If Tony thought Howard was light before, it is nothing compared to now. Now Howard is like the sun, a smile stretching across his face . Has Tony ever seen him smile like that? Even once?

Before Tony can issue any warning or caution the two men are in each other’s arms, hugging tightly. They cling to each other desperately as if afraid the other will disappear if they let go. 

Aunt Peggy is more cautious. There is hope in her eyes, but wariness too. Her stance clearly says that she is guarding Howard’s back. 

Then Tony shifts and all her wariness turns towards him. It is a shock to see her so young too. Nothing has ever really stopped his Aunt Peggy except for herself, so it’s not quite of a shock, but still fewer lines and fewer gray hairs and less mental trauma to deal with. It’s a shock. “Howard,” she barks out sharply. 

Steve and Howard finally decide to stop gazing into each other’s eyes and remember that the rest of the world exists. Steve sees where her attention is and relaxes his guard. “No problem Peggy, that’s just -”

“Rogers!” Tony barks, stopping him. The last thing he needs is for Steve to reveal just who he is, exactly. He’s going to need more than a few moments to brace himself for  _ that _ little revelation. The tone is eerily similar to the same one Aunt Peggy just used. No question where he learned that from. 

“Iron Man,” Steve finishes as if that was what he was going to say all along, “a friendly. He’s an essential part of my team now.” 

Oh would you look at that. Either Steve is trying to butter him up or he’s guessed more about Tony than he’s let on and is doing some too little too late damage control. Or maybe Tony’s reading too much into that and he’s just reassuring the other two. 

“That’s - that’s amazing,” Howard breathes, his focus now on Tony too, although he still hasn’t released Steve. His hand is still clenched tightly around his uniform. “This is far beyond anything I have ever imagined. Are you a robot or -” 

“It’s a suit,” Tony snaps, unable to help it. Too much, too much. Mayday, mission abort. Time to flee the state. Possibly the country. 

“Amazing,” Howard repeats, losing none of his awe. “Did you build it yourself? How does it work? What does it run on? How did you manage -”

“Howard,” Aunt Peggy repeats, softer this time. Fonder. There is exasperation and acceptance and a quiet sort of joy in her voice. 

That tone hits Tony like a punch to the gut. Oh.  _ Oh god _ . Oh Tesla. Oh Lovelace. That is the same tone the team likes to use on Tony when he’s being more than a little outrageous. A little too wild, a little too playful. It’s the same tone. He does not need another reminder of how similar he and his father supposedly are. Not now. 

That panic attack from the portal is slowly starting to transform into a panic attack over something completely different. 

Before they can continue this  _ lovely _ conversation, though, the portal begins to swirl again. A pulse of light and then -

“Oh my.” 

Ana and Jarvis. 

Sticking to the trend, a much younger Aan and Jarvis than Tony has ever known, but it is them nonetheless. Tony would recognize them anywhere. He makes an aborted motion towards them before he can stop himself. Even they are not enough for him to reveal himself in front of a younger version of his father. Yeah, that still sounds both messed up and traumatizing. Good to know. 

Aunt Peggy catches the movement because of course she does. Not much can get past her. She was the original spy in her life. The first with too sharp eyes and a knowing gaze. 

“I do believe we are not in Kansas anymore my dear,” Jarvis says dryly. 

Steve’s mouth twitches and Tony can just hear ‘I get that reference’. So terribly endearing. He carefully avoids looking at where Howard is still touching him. He’s starting to get ideas about things he  _ never _ wanted to consider.  _ Ever _ . Ew. 

“What was your first guess Mr Jarvis?” Ana asks. 

Tony smothers a laugh. Oh yes, there is no mistaking them for anyone else. 

“Jarvis,” Howard calls happily, still oh so excited, “look at who is here to greet us!” 

“My word,” Jarvis blinks. That is the only reaction he gives, “Captain Rogers?” 

“The uniform is much better than in the comics,” Ana says thoughtfully, mischief hidden in her eyes. 

There is no helping the laugh that pulls out of Tony. Oh how he misses her. Both of them. His chest aches just at the sight of them, standing there so young and so alive and so happy. “Thanks. I do my best.” There is a grin stretching across his face that, fortunately, no one else can see. 

“You made his uniform too?” Howard asks, curiosity and nothing else in his voice. 

“Shellhead here is our mechanic,” Steve answers, “He handles all the team’s gear and protection.” 

“You don’t say.” There is still none of the darkness that Tony is so used to in his voice. No anger, no disappointment, no disgust. That, more than anything else, is what is throwing him off the most. The lack of hostility is positively bewildering. He wonders what that says about his life. Nothing good, that’s for sure. “I’m a mechanic myself, you know. Maybe we can play around a little. Compare notes. What do you say?” 

“There will be plenty of time to play later, after we have some answers,” Aunt Peggy cuts in. 

“Right, right,” Howard nods a bit sheepishly, “that should be interesting too. Have you seen the design of Steve’s suit? That’s definitely more advanced than anything we’ve seen.” 

“Strangely enough?” Aunt Peggy raises an eyebrow at him, “I did somehow manage to gather that on my own.” 

“Come on Pegs,” Howard finally lets go of Steve to go over and nudge at her shoulder, “where’s your sense of adventure?” 

“The same place your sense of caution is.” And  _ oh _ that look she gives him now. 

Yes that is definitely a look Tony is familiar with. It’s one he’s been given enough from the team. And Pepper. And Rhodey. And - the point, though, the point is that he is familiar with it. He’s been told before that he and Howard are similar enough, but until now he’s never understood it. Always resented it. Always denied it. Now though - now it’s like looking into a mirror. Eerie. 

“I do believe -” Jarvis says, but is stopped by the portal. Again. 

It gives one last swirl, almost a cough, before depositing four more people out onto the grass before it vanishes entirely. Good riddance. One less thing for him to worry about right now. And one less panic to deal with. The relief lasts only long enough for him to recognize their last four guests. Then his blood runs cold. 

His heartbeat pounds in his ears until that is the only thing he can hear. His vision narrows briefly, threatening to blackout. His breath hitches in his chest. No.  _ No _ . He would flee right here and now, appearances be damned, if he wasn’t frozen in place. 

He recognizes these people too. Unfortunately they are not nearly as welcoming. Or, rather, one is not. The only one he can focus on right now. Howard. His father. His Howard. His father. The one he grew up with. The one who, technically speaking, raised him. Or shaped him more accurately because there wasn’t much raising involved. The presence of his mother, Ana and Jarvis barely register. 

He knows there is a commotion. Exclamations, confusion, reunions. This Howard is even more enthusiastic about his greeting of Steve than the first. Funny how Tony thought that the first was shocking. No. Not compared to this one it isn’t. Watching  _ this _ Howard cling to Steve? It stirs up dark emotions in him. 

Anger, envy, jealousy, nausea, despair. All mix into a potential fatal cocktail inside of him. He realizes that he did not mind the first reunion. This one he wants to stop. He wants to tear Howard away. Wants them to never interact again. Never even  _ see _ each other. 

He feels hot and cold in turn. Sick. Frozen. Ugly. A sound threatens to break free from his throat. It might be a growl, it might be a scream, it might be a sob, it might be something slightly inhuman. He isn't sure. Nor will he let himself find out. Once he lets it out he may not be able to stop. 

“I’ll meet you back at the Tower,” he says, taking off without giving anyone a chance to protest or question him. It’s fleeing, pure and simple, but he doesn’t care. He’s gone.

“Iron Man,” Steve calls, surprised more than angry. 

“Don’t worry Cap,” he dismisses, “I’ll let everyone back at the Tower know what’s happening before you bring everyone back.” As if that is the problem. As if JARVIS hasn’t been keeping them updated all along. 

Coward. 

Yeah, no, he still doesn’t care, He absolutely refuses  _ point blank _ to have anything even resembling a panic attack close to Howard. Ever. That there are two of them right now makes the possibility even worse. That one of them seems almost likable is frankly part of the problem. 

So he feels no regret in fleeing back home and fleeing right to his worksop without stopping for any form of human interaction. Forget that. He’s already given himself away enough as it is. There will be questions already about this and he is not looking forward to any of them. That way lies disaster. 

Once the suit is stripped away he goes straight for the couch and curls up into the corner of it. A blanket is dropped on top of him, covering his face. He adjusts it enough so he can breathe, but otherwise leaves it alone. 

“Good boy,” he manages to choke out. 

Dum-E beeps proudly beside him. He picks up his fire extinguisher to display it in his claw. For once it isn’t so he can spray Tony, but so he can stand guard. Anyone who wants to get to him is going to have to go through a wall of foam first. He’s done it too, when he’s deemed it necessary. Protective, devious little thing. 

The thought is almost enough to make him smile. Almost, but not quite. The panic coursing through his veins is still too strong. Instead he curls tighter in on himself, hating how childish he feels and adoring how safe he knows he is with his bots on guard duty. 

Finally he lets go and lets himself spiral. Lets the emotions pour through him. Slowly, painfully he comes back to himself. His breathing evens out, his teeth stop chattering, he becomes aware of his surroundings slowly. His emotions are steadier instead of the wild tsunami they previously were. Still it takes longer to realize that he is not alone than it should. Realize just who is with him. There is only a short list of people JARVIS would let see him like this after all and only one of those people have a metal arm. It is wrapped around him securely. 

“Snowflake?” he grins, “I thought the mission was supposed to last longer. How was your truck through Asia?”

“Long,” Bucky huffs, “We cut it short after some idiot decided to ignore the age old wisdom of ‘never start a land war in Asia’ and did just that.” He bends down to kiss the top of Tony’s head. He can feel it right through the blankets. “Back with me sweet thing?” 

“How am I supposed to resist a gorgeous thing like you?” Tony twists so that he is facing Bucky. Some more squirming places his face right at the junction of Bucky’s neck and shoulder. Right where he wants. He inhales, noticing he still smells like mission. Ew. Someone obviously hasn’t showered yet. Still not enough to make him move away though. This right here is what he was missing. Bucky gives the best hugs - besides Rhodey that is, when Rhodey isn’t being a sour patch about things. 

“Steve told me what happened,” Bucky murmurs as he tightens his hold. 

“Didn’t you stop to see for yourself?” 

“Had more important people to see.” Bucky leans just a little more of his weight on him.

Another two points to Bucky. It helps ground Tony more back into the present. Remember he is not a child anymore who can be bossed around or dismissed so easily. He is Iron Man. He is Tony Stark. No one can take that away from him.

“I could kill him again if you’d like?” 

The offer is made so casually, so bluntly that Tony has to look up at him. “What?” 

Bucky shrugs. “Already did it once didn’t I? What’s another time?”

Tony is helpless not to laugh at that. Giggle really. He is definitely giggling, a bit hysterically, over that. And what a thing to laugh at. It wouldn’t have always been funny, of course, and it had been a long and painful process to accept. Now though? Now it is hilarious in a terrible sort of way. Fuck does he love this man. 

“Thanks buttercup,” he says once he manages to stop - mostly, “but let’s wait and see first. No need to go all murder bot on him yet.” 

Bucky grumbles, clearly disagreeing, but he doesn’t argue with him. Then again Bucky is, once again, one of the few who know what Howard was really like in his later years. What Tony’s childhood was really like. Tony has mentioned some things and Bucky is definitely sharp enough to fill in the rest. He’s not surprised that he is currently in ‘protective boyfriend’ mode. Speaking of which -

“How did you manage to get past this one without getting sprayed?” Because Dum-E is not all that selective about who he sprays. People who enter face his wrath whether they were the guilty party or not. 

“Told him to save it for Howard.” 

That sets off another round of giggling. Really he is too much sometimes. Tony adores it. “My big, bad knight in shining armour,” Tony flutters his eyes at him ridiculously. 

“Pretty sure I’m more of the dragon,” Bucky snorts, “You’re the knight around here.”

“My big, bad dragon,” Tony corrects without missing a beat, “How can I ever repay you for my valiant rescue?”

“Don’t think I did much of that either,” Bucky protests, but he’s smiling, “Still if you’re offering,” he stands up, taking Tony with him. He literally sweeps him off of his feet - or the couch. Same difference, “How about I take my prize and hide from the rest of the world for the day?” 

_ Fuck _ but does he  _ love _ this man. Tony grins brightly at him, “Who am I to argue with my dragon?” 

“Exactly,” Bucky finally kisses him then, a warm, reassuring thing, “Have to protect my precious after all.” He smiles wickedly and a bit mischievously. 

“Well thank Lovelace you spent your frozen years in cryo and not a cave. Sorry sweet pea, but I’d have never looked twice if you had the face of Golumn.” 

“You say the sweetest things darling,” Bucky draws as they exit the workshop.” 

“Of course I do. You’re my favorite after all.” 

“Until Rhodey comes to visit,” Bucky adds. 

“Until Rhodey,” Tony nods, not even bothering to hide his laughter. Yeah, this is exactly what he needs right now. “You are going to shower first, though, right? Cause I hate to tell you, sugar pie, but you stink.” 

Bucky laughs, loud and bright. “The  _ sweetest _ .”

:::

True to his word neither Bucky nor Tony see anyone else for the rest of the day. They shower, order in for food and settle down in front of the TV for some mindless movies. Tony ends up wrapped around Bucky as much as humanly possible. Bucky, because he is officially a saint, never asks any questions Tony isn't comfortable with. He doesn’t probe, he doesn’t poke, not even a little. He also never comments on the shivers that slowly work through him. 

_ Saint _ .

Then again it’s not as if they don’t have enough practice working through trauma with each other. It’s not as if seventy years of HYDRA’s tender love and care suddenly disappeared because Bucky was in a relationship. And by now Tony has his own list of shit to work through. He’s been a Hot Mess since before that was a thing. 

Wow, what cheerful thoughts that. Then again it’s not as if Tony’s headspace is all the great right now. His thoughts drift between people who should be dead and gone and the movie they are watching. It’s like a scab, he can’t stop picking at it. Now he wishes more than anything that someone else had handled the damn portal. Let Reed earn his keep for a change. 

Maybe some would call it convenient, that it was Tony’s lap they landed in. He is the one with the closest connection to all of them save Steve. Even then it could be argued that he is still closer than Steve. It wouldn’t be true, not for all of them. Not for the person who is tripping Tony up the most.  _ Persons.  _

Which is the real problem here of course. Tony is fine with literally everyone else who fell through that portal. It’s only Howard that is sending him into a panic. Or, if he is freaking out about the others, it’s being drowned out by his Howard panic. How very fitting. He did the same thing when he was alive too. 

No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts always circle back to the same place. The same, well familiar cocktail of emotions that his father always manages to drag up in him. Being dead never changed that. Really though, this is taking it to a whole other level. Overachiever. 

All of them are dead. Every single one of those people who came through that portal is no longer alive in this time. Maybe that has something to do with it? Maybe it had to do with Tony’s prolonged proximity to it? Or Steve? Both? He has no idea. It’s also starting to make his brain hurt. Ugh. 

Also typical of Howard. 

Double ugh. 

And now there's two of them. 

Triple ugh. 

By the time they finally go to bed Tony is exhausted. Bucky has to practically carry him. He can barely keep his eyes open and his limbs feel like stone. His last though is that maybe this will all end up being a dream. Maybe things will look better in the morning. 

It’s wishful thinking on both parts of course. Tony wakes up to find everything the same. The only good thing is that at least he didn’t have to deal with nightmares on top of everything else. Apparently panic attacks are good sleep aides. Who knew? 

He cracks an eye open to see that Bucky is awake, but still comfortably resting beside him. 

“Morning darling,” he draws, “Sleep well?” 

Tony grumbles and burrows further into his arms. Well rested or not, he is still not a morning person - whether it happens to be morning or not when he wakes up. 

Bucky laughs and kisses him again. “Poor thing,” he coos. 

“Mean,” he croaks back. 

Bucky just laughs and sweeps them both gracefully out of bed. There are some great perks to being an ex assassin after all. He carries Tony into the kitchen, settling him down and pouring him a cup of coffee. The coffee is the only reason he is forgiven for his supreme rudeness. Mostly. 

Tony inhales one and then the next after his cup is refilled. 

“Better sweet thing?” Bucky asks once he is actually awake. 

“You know just how I like it.” 

“The only reason you keep me around, right?” He leans against the counter, grinning. 

Tony hides his smile behind his cup.”Of course buttercup, do keep up here.” 

“And here I thought I was just a pretty face.” The grin grows. 

Tony directs his best haughty look his way. “Please, I’m high maintenance remember? I need more than looks to keep me entertained for long.” 

“Course you do,” Bucky agrees fondly, “Menace.” 

“Jerk.” It’s something he eventually picked up from Steve. As soon as he started spending time with them, getting closer, getting more comfortable, it happened. Tony is prone to nicknames enough as it is without having two practically handed to him. Steve had found it hilarious - until the first time Tony called him punk. Then he just got hilariously offended. 

He lets Tony finish his final cup before asking, “Ready to face the hoard or do you want to make them wait longer?” 

Tony’s first instinct is, of course, to make them wait. To keep on hiding until he is more comfortable. But he is never going to be more comfortable, no matter how much time he gives himself. Putting it off will only make it worse in the long run. 

Still, just the idea of going down there, of seeing them again, is enough to get his heart racing. It picks up its beat as if it is trying to escape his chest. No matter. He can’t hide forever. It isn’t practical. If nothing else Howard is going to be demanding answers soon - and Tony unfortunately remembers exactly what his demands are like. 

Leaving the team to deal with them probably counts as cruel and unusual punishment. And Steve. They are going to have to use a crowbar to separate them if yesterday is anything to go by. It would be just as bad to abandon him. He didn't sign up for Stark herding, even if they are old friends. It's tempting though. Oh so tempting. 

He can’t, though, so he just nods and goes to get ready. The urge to put on the armour is great. Still he refuses to be put on the defense so he changes into the most comfortable workshop clothes he has. 

In the elevator Bucky gives him a warm and lingering kiss. It lights his entire body up and makes him melt into him. Simple but effective. He is much more relaxed by the time they step out and into the kitchen. If the noise alone didn’t tell him the sight confirms that they have a full house. All of the team is there, magically present even though Tony knows that some of them should still be gone. Scattered among them are their - extra guests. 

Tony about stops at the sight of them, but with Bucky’s warmth at his back he keeps going. Howard, unfortunately, is the first who spots him first, but his Mama is the first to react. 

“Oh Tony,” she smiles as she gets up from the table, “just look at you.” Without hesitation she pulls him into a hug. 

He returns it, wrapping his arms around her and good lord, since when did she become so  _ small _ ? Maria Stark had never been an imposing figure, no, but she had always seemed so big and strong to him. Even after he passed her in height he thought that until the day she died. Realizing it now is a shock. 

It’s even more of a shock when Ana and Jarvis join them. Logically he knew they both got old. He attended their funerals after all. That doesn’t make it any less shocking now. Damn Howard for taking up too much space in his head. How could he have forgotten about the others? Unforgivable. They are worth so much more than that. 

“Little lightning bug,” Ana gets a hand on his shoulder. 

Oh dear. He loves Ana to death, but if the team starts calling him that he is going to pull a Loki and throw them out a window. Good lord  _ no _ . That doesn’t keep him from smiling at her. 

“Captain Rogers and the others have been telling us about your life,” Jarvis is reserved, here and now in front of the others, but no less happy to see him. “Well done young Sir.” 

“Yes,” his Mama pulls back, “we are so proud of you. Just look at what you have accomplished.” Her eyes shine as she smiles up at him. 

From the table Howard ‘humphs’ but everyone ignores him. 

“A superhero now,” Ana says and oh, there is that mischievous spark again, “I always knew you could do it.” Then she leans in closer, “Has Captain Rogers let you play with his shield?” 

He knows she didn’t whisper it softly enough when Steve chokes at the table. Then again she probably wasn’t trying to. Grand. Just grand. Just what he needs, being forced to explain his stupid dream as a kid to go on adventures with Captain America and save the world. He loses the fight on his blush. He can feel his face heat up and there’s no hope that it isn’t noticeable. “Ana, no.” 

Then she turns her speculative gaze on Bucky and he repeats, “ _ Ana. No _ .”

Jarvis, the traitor, just laughs. “Come Mrs Jarvis, The poor boy hasn’t had breakfast yet. You know how he is.” 

_ Traitor _ . Tony’s reputation is never going to recover from this. 

Between the four of them he is guided to the table and seated. Jarvis places a full plate down in front of him. When Tony opens his mouth to protest, he gives him a look and Tony quickly shuts it. Honestly, Jarvis and meals. He is a grown man, he can get by fine without the whole three a day. Apparently some things never change. 

Across the table Clint snickers, doing a poor job of hiding it. Rude. 

Tony just looks at him. Sure bird brain, laugh it up. Let’s see how long before he gets any of those new arrows he requested. That stops him - or at least that’s what he thinks until he realizes that Ana and Jarvis are giving him the exact same look. Well that’s rather telling there, isn't it? 

“So,” Howard - the younger and not the older - says, “You’re really my son? And you really built that suit yesterday? All by yourself? Design and everything? Steve here couldn’t answer most of my questions, but I’d love to take a look at it. The way technology has advanced is fascinating. Although I have been told that not everyone has a sentient toaster.” He sounds sorely disappointed about that. 

“Because that’s what you need,” Aunt Peggy sighs, “at least it isn’t the coffee machine.” 

“Nah,” Bucky smirks, “that’s on our floor.” 

Howard instantly perks up. 

“Howard.  _ No, _ ” Aunt Peggy says firmly. 

Jarvis the younger gives Bucky a look. “I do believe that is on the list of things that we do not need to know.” 

“What?” Howard gives him a betrayed look, “How can you say that? That should be at the top of essential things. How does it work? Can I see the schematics? I bet I can build one too.” 

“Correction,” Aunt Peggy gives Bucky a stink eye, “ _ that _ is the last thing he needs. I see you are as helpful as ever Sergeant.” 

“Ma’am,” Bucky smiles as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, “just doing my best.” 

Howard - the older, not the younger - finally speaks up. “Steve told us you somehow survived, but he was short on the details.” 

“It’s a long story,” Bucky says blandly. 

“So?” Howard - the younger, not the older and wow is that getting tedious - asks, “Can I?” 

“Just what the world needs - talking toasters and coffee makers. Is that what you are doing now instead of building weapons? Playing around? Pushing off your responsibilities on others?” 

“Howard,” his Mama warns. 

“No Maria, the boy needs to answer. I didn’t raise him to be this irresponsible. I taught him good values like I learned them. He is wasting -” 

Howard, the other, snorts. “Since when have  _ we _ ever been responsible? Or so damn boring for that matter? You got told our son is a  _ superhero _ \- a  _ self made _ hero - who fights with Steve and Bucky and all you can do is scoff? What the hell happened to us?” 

“We grew up,” Howard, the older, snaps. 

“Bull,” he snaps back, “ _ you _ got old and cranky.” 

“At least I learned not to kill everyone around me with my carelessness and stupidity.” 

“At least I remember how to have fun.” Even as he says this his face goes white. Whatever that reference is, it isn’t a good one. “Now if you excuse me, I also happen to remember better manners.” He leaves the room. 

An awkward silence follows. 

“Good riddance,” Howard - the only one left - snorts. That gets him multiple stink eyes from multiple people - some of them duplicates of each other. 

_ So _ awkward. For the first time in his life Tony wants to follow in his old man’s footsteps and get out of there. He stays though because he owes it to the team. That doesn’t mean the team agrees though. 

“Friend Stark, I would have word with you if I could,” Thor says and stands. 

“We figured something out,” Bruce adds as he joins them. 

“Go on darling,” Bucky murmurs when Tony hesitates, “we’ll hold down the fort here,” 

Tony obeys then. They end up in Bruce’s lab where he has the data from the portal pulled up on screen. Thor is in front of one, frowning. “I am not the most knowledgeable of this, but I do believe I recognize the energy that is involved here.” He gestures with his hand, “It would appear that this is a time portal. They are known to spontaneously appear and vanish across the Realms. They are a neutral energy, drawing on the memories of those that come too close in contact with it.” 

“They’re proximity based then?” Bruce asks as he peers at the screen. 

“Aye. If none venture near then they will eventually move on. If someone ventures too long in its range then they will pull into the person’s past and deliver the most prominent people to them.” 

So Tony’s idle guessing had been right. Both Tony and Steve share people, hence who came through and at what age. It annoys every part of him that if they had just  _ left it alone _ like he wanted to then they wouldn’t be dealing with thes. What the hell?

“Eventually they will be returned to their own time with no memory and no damage done to the current timeline. Think of them as more echoes of the past then actual people, although they are certainly real enough. The portals harness those echoes of the past inside each person and thus the past always returns to where it belongs.” 

Bruce hums. “For how long?” 

“It depends on the strength of each portal. When it’s energy runs out then they will be returned. The portal is then at rest until it has enough energy to appear someplace else again.” 

Great. Just great. Not only are they stuck here, there is no telling how long they will be here. What a nightmare. No - think of the positive. Steve will be happy to spend time with them. There are other people here besides Howard that Tony is happy to see. Ana and Jarvis and his Mama are all here too. Tony can spend more time with them. The team will meet them. They will meet - and potentially get to know each other - and trade stories and -

No, never mind. There is nothing good about this. Nothing good at all. They need to leave before they ruin Tony’s reputation completely - or even worse, conspire against him. The only good thing is that there are no baby pictures to share. Tony has long made sure no one else could find those. 

Has Tony mentioned how much he hates portals lately? And magic. He really hates magic too. Thor gives him a look when he starts grumbling just that, but Thor can deal. He’s been here long enough to know what Tony thinks of his so-called ‘merely more advanced science that Midgardians simply do not understand yet’. Some of it is great - awesome, fascinating, mind blowing. Other parts of it? Not so much. “It’s basically a time machine without the machine part and you know it.” 

“It is a naturally occurring -” 

“It is a magical time machine,” Tony says over him, “Accept it and move on Zapdos.”

Thor just smiles innocently at him. “As you say my friend.” 

Tony narrows his eyes at him, not believing it for a second, before letting it go and sighing. “I should probably go tell the others then. I’m sure they would appreciate it.” 

“Nay, my friend,” Thor throws an arm around his shoulders, “I have missed you much while I was gone. Let us catch up and bond over the great tradition of netflix and chill.”

Tony’s refusal turns into a choked laugh. “I think Bucky might object to that one.” 

Thor frowns. “Why? Does he not wish you to be supported by your friends and teammates?” 

“You  _ do _ know that doesn’t mean what you think it means, right?” He looks at him suspiciously. With Thor you can never tell. Sometimes he genuinely mixes things up and sometimes he is being a massive troll. 

“Aye, Friend Clint was much informative on this great tradition. I am sure that our Friend Bruce will have no trouble informing those that need it while we take part in it.” He smiles like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. 

And sometimes Tony gets trolled by people who aren’t even there, too. And people call  _ him _ a menace. Right. 

And that is how they end up on the couch, watching Fellowship of the Ring for the nth time. Thor has been positively obsessed with Tolkien ever since he first watched it. It’s something he and Steve like to bond over. He’s another one, considering it’s something familiar to him. Plus he says he loves the story, regardless. 

The next time Tony looks up Clint and Bucky have joined them. When they got here he isn’t sure, but Clint is laying on top of the couch like a heathen and Bucky is beside him. Oh. Yeah. He has been snuggling up to him for the last half of the movie, hasn’t he? 

“Another,” Thor calls after it ends. 

“Thanks Point Break,” Tony pats his shoulder, “but I have work to do. You go ahead and netflix and chill with birdbrain here.” Sputtering and laughter follows him on his way out. Serves them right. 

“Something you wanna tell me sweet thing?” Bucky asks by his side.

“Trolls,” Tony grumbles on the way down to the workshop, “I live with a bunch of trolls.” 

“Wonder what a group of them are called. A herd? A crowd? A gathering?”

“A flamboyance,” Tony answers promptly, “It's a flamboyance because along with trolls you people are about as subtle as flamingos. A flamboyance of flaming flamingo hens.” 

Bucky’s expression does something complicated and hilarious - or at least from Tony’s perspective anyways. And that’s the only one that counts. “You people?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, “Flamingo hens? You sure know how to flatter a fella.” 

“All part of the Stark Charm,” Tony smiles winningly, “But really - flamingo hens. Just like Rhodey and Pep are dragon hens. They aren’t any more subtle, mind you, but they’re a lot scarier about it so.” He shrugs.

“Scarier,” Bucky deadpans, “I was a legendary assassin, enforcer of HYDRA and neigh invincible for seventy years - and I’m not scary enough?” 

“Oh honey,” Tony pities him. He really does, “You  _ have _ met them, haven’t you?” 

Bucky thinks on this for a moment and then nods. “Alright, fair enough.” 

“Besides, you’re really a big marshmallow under all that resting bitch face,” he adds as he walks into the workshop. A grin spreads across his face as he listens to Bucky’s sputtering behind him. Too easy. “Okay kids, liven up. Daddy’s here and ready to work.” 

“I am thrilled beyond words Sir,” JARVIS says. 

Tony points to the nearest camera. “Did I ask the peanut gallery for an opinion? No? Then less sassing and more working. Pull up the projects Jay and let’s make some magic.” This is the only acceptable magic there is, right here. The workshop lights up from the blue light of the holograms. Tony rubs his hands together. Time to get to work. He opens the closest one up. 

“So JARVIS,” Bucky says beside him an indeterminable amount of time later. 

“Hmm?” Tony hums, realizing that question wasn’t directed to the AI.

“Thought you said it was an acronym before.” 

“It is,” he says absently, “Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.” 

“And how long did it take for you to come up with something that spelled that name in particular?” 

Tony resolutely doesn’t look at him, keeping his eyes firmly on the screen in front of him and his body loose. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Oh darling.” There is a light, but supportive brush of fingers along his arm, “I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. I’m glad you had people besides Howard that you could rely on. They seem real swell.” 

“That’s because they haven’t cornered you yet,” Tony snorts, “At the point they were still alive I wasn’t exactly dating or sleeping around much. I only had one serious girlfriend. I brought her home, showed her off and then she dumped me the next day. I’m still convinced they were the cause of that.” 

“Must not have been all that great then.” 

Toyn shrugs. “I was nineteen. Probably not. The point is be prepared. Ana definitely already knows which means Jarvis does too and likely Mama. Also the point -  _ don’t _ let Howard know. I’d rather not deal with that too on top of everything else.” 

“Don’t worry sweetheart, he finds out then  _ I’ll _ deal with him.” There is a sharp edge to his voice. In more ways than one, likely. 

“My knight,” Tony looks up long enough to flutter his eyes at him, “Although we should probably avoid that altogether. Makes things easier for everyone else.” A sense of shame creeps up his spine. The others shouldn’t have to deal with this. It’s not fair to them that they are stuck with a front row seat to his family drama. No one should be subjected to that - willing or otherwise. 

As if Bucky knows what he is thinking, he says, “Not your fault Howard is an ass. My memory may be swiss cheese, but I know he wasn’t that bad before. Not much tack, like you see and a bit careless, but not hard and cruel. Don’t know why he changed, but he’s making it hard to regret the Incident - at least for him. Your mother seems lovely.” 

The Incident. That draws a reluctant laugh from him. “Is that what we’re calling it now?” Maybe he should be upset with the admission. Maybe horrified. Instead he is strangely comforted. How messed up is that? Then again they’ve already established his terrible sense of humor. Why not this too? No wonder they fit so well together - they’re both disasters.

“Yeah,” Bucky grins roguishly at him. 

“Yeah,” Tony repeats, still laughing. What is his life anymore?

“Explains a lot though.” 

“What?” With his mind only half on Bucky he doesn’t catch the change of subject, 

“Meeting them. Seeing your family. I can see a lot of each of them in you. It explains more than you probably realize.” 

Tony groans. That’s what he’s afraid of. 

“That’s not a bad thing doll.” 

Tony snorts. Yeah. Right.

“It’s not.” Bucky comes up behind him and wraps his arms around him. He is a length of warmth against his back, contrasting with his cooler left arm. “I’m glad you have this time with them. They obviously adore you.” He kisses his neck. “You deserve that.” 

“You trying to sweet talk your way into something here Barnes?” 

“Just taking care of my best guy. If you’re offering though,” he doesn’t finish, but he doesn’t have to. His tone is suggestive enough. 

“Now who's only with who for their looks?” He does his best to smother the grin in his voice. No need to give anything away yet. 

“Told you before you are like a work of art. How am I supposed to resist?” 

“Like David,” Tony agrees, having heard it before. 

“ _ Better _ than David. Him you can’t touch. You,” he gropes Tony’s butt, “you can.” 

“Have more personality than a statue too.” 

“Oh darling, there was never any doubt about that. You have  _ a lotta _ more personality than that statue.” 

Tony so does love the way he felt the need to emphasize that. “Flatterer.” 

“Always.” Despite his words Bucky makes no move to escalate things further. He simply continues to hold Tony, letting him soak in his warmth. 

Tony appreciates the silent support as well as the lack of questions. He knows Bucky would listen if he wanted to talk, but he doesn’t. They’re all old issues that he has been dealing with for most of his life. Just because they are more visible - and relevant - now doesn’t mean he wants to discuss them. Emotions. Ew. 

At supper that night Tony notices a pattern again. He is summarily surrounded and stolen away to eat with his Mama, Ana and Jarvis. Bucky gives him a reassuring smile and the others silently echo the encouragement and that is that. Tony spends the rest of his night catching up. They talk and they laugh and Tony cracks some terrible jokes. It’s a good night. 

The trend follows into the next day at breakfast. He doesn’t see heads or tails of Howard - the older one and wow, still need a better description. There’s an obvious answer, but Tony refuses to call him father or dad for a reason. He hasn’t in years and he won’t start now - at all. If the others think they are being subtle then they are sorely mistaken. 

There is a Howard present though and he keeps watching Tony with fascination and no little alarm. He pretends that that doesn’t hurt. Why should it matter? It’s not as if this is going to change anything, so why should it? This Howard isn’t his Dad anymore than the other one is. 

He isn’t the only one either. All three - Aunt Peggy, Ana and Jarvis the younger - keep directing their attention back to him. He wonders if they are regretting their future. After all they will all have to deal with him for years after he is born. It doesn’t look like regret, but maybe that is wishful thinking. Wouldn’t be the first time. 

The weight of these stares get to be too much and he eventually heads to the workshop. There are important, time sensitive projects he needs to work on. Really. 

His solitude doesn’t last long because the four he - didn’t - flee from request entry. Quickly he weighs the pros and cons before eventually giving into the inevitable and letting them in. 

Howard resembles an owl as he walks in, wide eyed and head spinning all around. “Wow. My kid is amazing. Should have been expecting it, but, amazing. This is where you work your magic then?” 

Tony nods, trying not to let the wariness show on his face. These may not be the people he is used to, but they are still versions of them. 

Howard pokes a hologram and watches as the schematics disassemble. “Amazing. What technique are you using? They are obviously able to sense touch, but you can’t feel anything. Motion sensitive? Heat? What do you use for the light? It’s much more efficient than -” 

“Howard,” Aunt Peggy interrupts, “give him a chance to explain.” 

But before he can Dum-E comes out, wielding his fire extinguisher threateningly. The others step back in alarm. Aunt Peggy reaches for a gun that isn’t there. 

All he can get out is a “Dum-E  _ no _ -'' before he liberally sprays Howard head to toe in foam. “ _ Dum-E _ .  _ No _ ,” he repeats in defeat. It has no affect as his dumb, over protective bot beeps in triumphant. 

He waits for an explosion, completely unable to keep the tension out of his stance. 

Howard wipes the foam away from his face, blinks and then laughs.  _ Laughs _ . It is enough to make Tony freeze, staring in shock. He’s never heard Howard laugh before. Not once. Not ever. Certainly not like this. It is a carefree, joyous sound. Happy. Light. None of those words would ever describe the Howard he knew. 

Butterfingers has to end up bringing him the towels Tony keeps around for this sole purpose. It happens too often for him not to be prepared. 

“That is  _ amazing _ ,” he gushes.  _ Gushes _ . “Just what is that? Obviously a robot of some kind, but it moves on its own. You don’t have to give it any commands do you? In fact you did the exact opposite. It’s fully automated isn’t it?” Howard is still grinning in delight when he notices Tony’s stare. “Oh hell,” he sighs, “I’m not going to like the reason you’re staring, am I?” 

“Probably not.” Tony pulls himself together enough to answer dryly. 

“That’s what I thought.” Then Howard sighs and pointedly doesn’t ask. “So?” He reaches over and pokes Dum-E. 

Dum-E, being who he is, pokes him back before demanding a high five.

“Oh sure, act cute now,” Tony mutters, rolling his eyes. “His name is Dum-E and he’s an AI - artificial intelligence. Although his intelligence is questionable at times.” 

Dum-E whirls at him sadly. 

Tony puts his hands on his hips. “Don’t give me that, you know what you did. Just because you have the others fooled doesn’t mean you can play me.” 

Another sad whirl. 

“I don’t care  _ what _ Bucky told you, that’s not good manners. Besides  _ he _ isnt the one you’re supposed to listen to.” 

Butterfingers beeps in disagreement. 

“Don’t you start either young lady.” He points an accusing finger at her. “Your brother is a troublemaker and we all know it.”

“You’re right,” Ana says cheekily, “I don’t see the family resemblance at all.” 

Tony blinks, having forgotten they were there for a second. Resolutely he lifts his chin, refusing to blush. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing here. I do.” She doesn’t have to be  _ his _ Ana for him to know that.

She just grins at him. “Don’t worry, at least these ones know enough to talk back, unlike someone I could mention.” 

“Ana,” Howard pouts. 

“It’s true and you know it,” Aunt Peggy says, eyeing his bots carefully, “Shall I name the number of objects I have caught you cooing at? You’d think they were one of your women you were taking out on the town.” 

“You have to treat technology with respect,” Howard protests, “Talk to them sweet and they’ll sing for you.” 

“Or explode,” Aunt Peggy adds. 

Howard just shrugs. “It happens.” 

The other three trade a look. 

“Now that’s just unfair. Not  _ everything _ I make explodes. Sure they don’t always turn out right, but that’s science. Where’s your sense of adventure? Of experimentation? No success without failure.” 

So he trades his sense of fun and decency for less explosions then. Good to know. Too bad he didn’t keep that belief with him. It would have made things a lot easier for Tony. Less stressful anyways. Frankly he would have taken the explosions along with the humor. What is a little more added danger in life?

“Are these the only two AIs you have?” Aunt Peggy asks, still a bit wary. Well explained if she’s used to Howard’s inventions exploding. 

“If I may Sir, I do believe it is ample time to introduce myself,” JARVIS says before Tony can answer. 

“ _ Jay _ ,” he sighs as the others jump. “He doesn’t have a body,” he explains, “there’s too much sass in him for one to contain it all.” 

“I am as you created me.” 

He ignores the suspicious looks as JARVIS talks. Damn. 

“And who might you be?” Jarvis, the human one, asks. 

“I am JARVIS. Just A Rather Very Intelligent System,” he answers promptly. 

Ignorance is bliss and Tony fully exercises that right. He won’t know their reactions if he doesn’t look. He has a feeling that he is fooling no one, but oh well. He is allowed to lie to himself if he wants. There is the weight of eyes on him again, but he refuses to look.  _ Ignorance is bliss _ . 

“I do believe Mr Jarvis that you have finally met your match.” There is a clear smile in Ana’s voice. 

Jarvis sniffs. “Never my dear. Or has your faith in me suddenly dimmed?” 

“Oh never.” 

Tony bites his lips to keep from grinning. Or groaning. Teasing, teasing, teasing. These two are positively terrible when it comes to that. It’s like watching your parents flirt, although he never had that problem with his actual parents. Good to know they were always this sickening. He ignores the part of him that is strangely reassured by it. 

“They never change, do they?” Aunt Peggy asks softly from beside him. 

He keeps from jumping - barely. You'd think he’d be used to silent spies and their silent, sneaky ways, but no. “Ana and Jarvis?” he answers just as softly, “No they never do. They’re like this until they die.” 

Aunt Peggy nods, an odd look on her face.

“You’re not with Uncle Danny yet, are you?” 

“I do beg your pardon?” she asks sharply. 

Tony shrugs. “You were married by the time I was born. It works out fine if you're worried. Not that you’ll remember this, but the two of you were good together. Not Ana and Jarvis level, but -”

“They are in a category of their own,” she finishes. 

He hums in agreement. 

“Sergeant Barnes is treating you well then?” 

“What?” is Tony’s intelligent reply. 

“Obviously if Daniel is your uncle then that makes me your aunt. As an aunt it is my duty to make sure your - partner - is treating you well. I worked with Barnes during the war. He was quite the charmer then.” She doesn’t make this sound like a good thing. 

Oh  _ good lord _ . This is certainly a possibility Tony hadn’t counted on. Why would this set of people be worried about him? They don’t even know him yet. Obviously he should have. A smile tugs at his mouth. “He still is.” Even after everything he has been through, Bucky can still be smooth and charming when he wants to be. “Yes Bucky is a good boyfriend.”

“Good,” Aunt Peggy nods, “I’m glad whatever he went through didn’t make him forget his manners completely.” 

Tony chokes on a laugh because - oh wow.  _ Oh wow _ there is such a joke in there, but he can’t say it without opening a whole new can of worms that is better left alone. Instead he watches Howard poke and examine Dum-E and Butterfingers. In turn they do the same, circling him like two sharks. It’s a surreal sight. Honestly it’s so out of character that he has a hard time believing it. 

“He’ll be here for hours if you let him,” she murmurs, exasperation and fondness clear,

“Or until they break his foot. Their coordination isn’t always the best.” 

“Please,” she snorts, “as if a broken foot will get in the way of science.” She gives him a side look. “I find very little stops a Stark from science.” 

No. No it really doesn’t. Once again something they share. It’s even more surreal than the sight in front of him. How many times has someone compared him to Howard? How many people said they were so alike? All his life he’s heard it. Even from those closest to him, although they stopped after a certain point. 

How many times had he taken it as an insult? How many times had he disbelieved them when they tried to explain? Thought they were trying to cover their tracks as Howard got worse over the years?

Then Steve and Bucky enter the workshop, Steve looking slightly harried. “Your mother and the Jarvis’ have taken over my kitchen and your father has invaded my studio.” 

Well there’s only one answer to that. He starts laughing, leaning against the table to hold himself up. Once he starts he is helpless to stop. Steve’s grumbling does not help in the slightest. It only makes it worse in fact. 

Bucky comes over behind him, sharing his amusement. “They took one look at the place and kicked him out.” That smile only grows when Tony’s laughter turns into giggling. Ass.

Tony elbows him in the side in retaliation. It doesn’t do anything to Bucky of course, but it makes him feel better. He lets himself be pulled back so that he is resting against Bucky instead. He loops an arm around his waist. 

“I could have told you that would happen,” he says once he finally manages to stop. “There is no stopping any of them once they set their mind to something.”

“Thanks for the warning then,” Steve says dryly. 

“No problem Capsicle,” he says a little too gleefully. It’s funny, of course, because it isn’t him. “We’re going to be eating Italian tonight!” He forgot how much he missed his Mama’s cooking until faced with the inevitable arrival of it. 

There is a slight choking from the other direction. 

“Capsicle?” Aunt Peggy asks, amused and acting as if she isn’t.

Tony nods, not at all phased. He knows what she’s doing. “A Captain and a popsicle - the perfect combination.” 

“I am not sure who to blame more,” she looks at Howard and Ana both. 

“Do not be ridiculous,” Jarvis sniffs, “he obviously has too much of Ana in him to be anything but himself.” 

“My Mr Jarvis,” Ana smiles, “what a flatterer you are today.” 

“I am only telling the truth.” 

This time Tony does roll his eyes. Purely for theatrics of course and not at all to cover how fond he is feeling in the moment. Naturally. What reason would Tony have to be fond? Then he frowns as the full meaning of Steve’s words finally register. “Wait, do you have everyone living on your floor?” 

Steve nods in agreement. 

Tony can’t help but frown even more at that. Sure he made all of the apartments roomy enough when they were first built, big enough for more than one person to live in, if so desired, but that still had to be crowded. One or two more people would be fine, but eight? No wonder Steve looks the way he does. 

“It’s fine,” Steve rushes to reassure him, “I don’t mind. It’s nice to have everyone around again.” He grins at Aunt Peggy specifically, seeing as how Howard is still examining - playing, same thing - with his bots. 

Fine, sure, maybe for some of them. But besides the two Howards and Aunt Peggy, who does Steve actually know? It’s not fair to force them all on Steve just because Tony has some - small, minor really, honest - issues with certain parties involved. 

“They could stay with me?” he offers before he can really think about it. Talking without thought. Again. 

“That’s okay -”

“Sure,” Howard cuts Steve off, “Move to the floor with the sentient coffee pot? Count me in,” he grins widely. 

Jarvis looks pained at the announcement. “I do believe this is a good time to remind you that too much caffeine  _ is _ lethal?” 

Howard waves him off. “You worry too much. It hasn’t happened yet, has it? Besides, I just want to talk to it.”

“Is that what we’re calling it now?” Bucky asks. 

Howard grins brightly at him. “Sass me now Barnes, but beware of later.” 

“I am positively terrified,” he draws. 

This - this is not what Tony meant. At all. He meant that his Mama and the others could move in with him. Not - not  _ them _ . He didn’t mean to steal them away from Steve. He is the one who knows them best. He should be the one who gets to spend the most time with them. It was for him that they came, not Tony. Tony is just - coincidentally part of their future, not present. 

The guilt takes on a different shade. 

“I do find it a bit odd to keep running into myself,” Ana agrees, “I’m not used to all the odd parts of these adventures.” 

He sends a look Steve’s way - both apologetic and pleading.  _ This is not what he meant _ . 

Steve, though, sends him a reassuring look back because Steve is too good sometimes. He obviously isn’t going to say anything to help correct this. No one is. Will Tony protesting help? Or will that make him look like even more of an asshole then he already is?

Which is how he ends up with four extra guests living on his floor. He still feels like it should be  _ his _ set of people here, but it isn’t. Frankly he is certain that both Steve and Bucky - and probably the rest of the team too - are working together to not let that happen. It’s impossible that Steve hasn’t figured out something Tony has never wanted him to know by now. Not with who he is living with. He just hopes his Mama and Howard are behaving themselves - or saving their fights for when no one can hear them. 

As predicted, that night Tony is once again treated to his Mama’s true Italian cooking. It brings back memories that he hasn’t thought of in years. Hasn’t wanted to because it would hurt too much. There was always a bittersweet quality to them. Now it is more sweet than bitter. 

“Thank you Mama,” he says when everyone is gone and they have been left alone. He never said it enough before. Never felt like enough, no matter how hard he tried. Like he was always letting her down just by being himself. It was a different sort of desperation then trying to please Howard. Growing up Howard had been like the ocean - volatile, unpredictable and deceptive. His Mama had been like a mountain - steady and calm and present. Until she erupted that is. Which would make her more of a volcano than anything else. It’s fitting. 

“Oh my bambino,” she hugs him tightly, “I am so proud of you. Look at everything you have accomplished.” Her smile is better than any fire, any blanket, “Being able to see you like this is a gift. I’m only sorry I didn’t get to see it happen.” 

Internally Tony winces as the thought. That - is something he never wanted to see. The very thought fills him with shame. It’s far too late for that of course. She’s seen enough of who he really is underneath. No need to subject her to more. That doesn’t mean that the warmth and love from that doesn’t mix in with the shame. It does. What a cocktail. 

“I love you my son. You will always be my little precious bambino.”

Oh would you look at that. He can still blush. Talk dirty to him, try to shame him or embarrass him and never a thing. Talk to him with real emotion - real love and care and affection - and he melts like putty. 

“I love you too Mama. So much.” If his voice is a bit choked up then she is kind enough not to mention it. 

She leaves to go back to Steve’s floor for the night. 

Tony doesn’t bother going to bed. He knows that he isn’t going to be able to sleep tonight. Too many thoughts racing through his head. No use keeping Bucky up with his tossing and turning. He has enough trouble sleeping - they all do. The Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Insomniacs. He wouldn’t mind, would sit up with Tony, if he asked, but he doesn’t want to ask. He’s done so much for Tony, especially lately. That feels too much like selfishness to ask this too. 

That thought in mind he heads down to the common floor in hopes of finding someone else up. Chances are always pretty good that there will be someone. Luck doesn’t seem to be with him tonight though, because the floor is empty when he arrives. It is dark and quiet, with no signs of anyone else lurking in the shadows. Damn. 

He could always go down to the workshop, but that isn’t what he wants. Anything he tries to make now is going to be a mess. Past experience with this kind of mood has taught him that. Even simple tinkering turns into a minor disaster. So no. Best not chance it. 

Instead he moves over to the floor to ceiling windows to gaze out at the city below. It is still lit up, still alive and bustling despite the late hour. It is called the city that never sleeps for a reason. 

He isn’t sure how long he stands there, staring, before he hears someone join him. They announce themselves with an awkward clearing of their throat. Oh boy. He is tense enough already even before he turns, nodding. 

“Anthony,” Howard frowns, “how many times have I told you to verbally acknowledge someone. You look undignified bobbing your head up and down like that.”

“I don’t know, how many times have you said it?” He fights not to snap the words. They aren’t anything particularly harsh. This could even pass for civil, for him. Tony is just out of practice dealing with it. 

“Still disrespectful as always I see. 

Tony doesn’t even bother replying to that. There’s no point. The argument has been done to death - pun intended. 

“What? No great words of wisdom in return? Maybe you are finally growing up. Took you long enough, You’re going to have a right mess on your hands to clean up when you finally gain enough sense.”

Tony clenches his jaw to keep from spitting something back. 

“Stopping the production of weapons, cutting military contracts, listening to the hippies with all the green energy crap, selling trinkets and toys instead, giving away the company - and to your former PA no less. You couldn’t stop to think with your head instead of your dick with that one? And this whole superhero business. The suit is impressive, I will give you that, but you aren’t doing enough with it. Think of all the good it can do. Piece of technology like that? In the right hands it can change the world.” 

Tony’s teeth begin to ache. 

“But no,” Howard continues, “You have to be a selfish brat like always and keep it to yourself. Heroes are supposed to be  _ good _ Anthony. They are supposed to give a damn about people. Like Steve. He’s the real hero here. Even you couldn’t possibly fail to see that. Why haven’t you lived up to his standards yet?” 

There is a possibility that all of his teeth are going to be cracked by the end of this, but Tony manages to hold his tongue. A miracle right there. This should be enough to qualify him for sainthood practically. 

“How you ever managed to fool people is beyond me.” 

Alright that does it. It’s clear that he isn’t going to shut up, no matter what Tony does. “Well you managed to fool people into thinking you are a decent human being. It can’t be that hard, can it?”

Howard’s hand hits the glass with a thud. “What have I told you about disrespect, boy?”

More than Tony ever wants to hear again. “Shame you don’t have a bottle to throw instead. That was always more satisfying, wasn’t it?” Very pointedly he doesn’t reach down to touch one scar in particular on his arm. 

“You always were enough to drive a person to drink.” 

“Funny,” Tony snorts, “I could say the same about you.” His blood is up now and his body is tense, ready for a fight. Ready to defend himself as need be. He isn’t a little kid anymore. He doesn’t have to take this. 

Interestingly enough that is what reminds him. He  _ isn’t _ a kid and he  _ doesn’t _ have to take this. Not anymore. Not from him. Howard has been dead for years now. Decades. The fact that he is standing right in front of him doesn't change that. This is his Tower, his home, his life. He is in control. 

So rather than waiting for the reply that is sure to come he turns around and walks away. There is no battle to be won here. No victory to be had. Just the same old tune, sung over and over and  _ over _ until everyone is sick of it all. He is never going to get what he wants, never going to make Howard proud or happy or anything but disappointed and disgusted. It is a waste of time even to try. 

“Do not turn your back on me. Stand still and listen when I am talking to you.” He reaches out to grab him.

Tony, having expected it, dodges without turning and keeps going. Ignoring the yelling and the footsteps and the anger. He is still yelling when the elevator doors close. 

“Thanks Jay.” He leans against the wall, suddenly exhausted. 

“It was my pleasure Sir.” And oh is someone upset. Howard is most definitely not going to be enjoying the rest of his visit here. What a shame. 

A weak smile forms. “This is why you’re my favorite.” Gratefully and a bit clumsily he pats the wall. 

“I strive to always be so. The title is given away so easily.” 

“Sass,” Tony laughs as he stumbles off onto his floor. There is no reply. All the lights are out and everything is quiet. Obviously everyone is already asleep. There is a moment when he thinks he hears something, but then he almost runs face first into the door. Clearly his judgement is not to be trusted right now. 

With a yawn he sheds his clothes and climbs into bed. Bucky’s arm lifts to curl around him as he settles. 

“Okay sweetheart?” he murmurs sleepily. 

Tony just hums in response. Bucky goes back to sleep. Tony does not. He ends up spending most of the night awake, dozing off and on. The rest of the time he thinks and finally puts old demons to rest. Who knew walking away could be so satisfying yet so painful all at the same time? 

The next day Tony flees the Tower. He goes to Pepper in SI instead, desperately hoping both for a distraction and for normalcy. Or at least as normal as Tony’s life will ever get these days. 

Pepper, because she is  _ actually _ a saint, doesn’t say a word about it. There is a knowing look in her eyes so obviously someone - who wasn’t Tony, oops - told her about the newest mishap. Probably Natasha. Those two bond over - well - frankly he is a little afraid to ask. 

They spend the day going through meetings and schematics and paperwork. By the time he is done Tony is a new kind of exhausted. It is a familiar kind so he almost welcomes it. Almost. Because paperwork is never welcome, no matter what. 

“Will that be all Mr Stark?” Pepper asks once Tony puts his last signature on the page.

“That will be all Miss Potts,” he agrees, shaking his hand - aptly for theatrics and partly because it is actually sore. 

She smiles at him.”Then you better flee before someone sends a search and rescue for you. What must the team think, you being here this long?” 

Oh how he loves this woman. He grins at her, all roguish charm and kisses her cheek. “That you are the light of my life obviously. The peanut butter to my jelly, the music to my -” 

“Enough,” she laughs, “I'll not have a pouting super soldier staring sadly at me because you are being ridiculous again.” 

“It is a constant state of being.” 

“That really doesn’t help your case,” she draws, but she is still smiling so it’s a win. 

“Lies,” Tony kisses her again and does indeed flee before she can take her revenge. 

“Oh and Tony,” she calls before he can leave entirely, “should you need any help with this latest -  _ situation _ \- I will be more than willing to assist.” She gives him a sharp smile. The one those that fatally underestimate her got, right before she swallows him whole. 

Oh how he  _ loves _ this woman. “You’ll be the first one I call,” he promises and goes home. 

He is met with a quiet Tower when he does. His room is silent and almost eerie as he changes out of his suit and into something comfortable. With all the stealth he possesses he sneaks down to the common floor and listens. He doesn’t even have to get too close to hear that everyone is gathered there. Not wanting to chance being seen he stops just out of sight. If anyone knows he is there he will get dragged into the chaos. That isn’t what he wants. 

Once he confirms that everyone is present he sneaks away again. As much as he loves the team he doesn’t think he would be able to handle them right now. A flamboyance of flaming flamingo hens. They mean well, they always do and it lights something warm in his chest, but that doesn’t mean he can always handle them. Warmth is not always enough to trump annoyance - or sheer overwhelming presence. And people think Tony is bad. Sheesh. 

Dum-E and Butterfingers greet him when he walks in. “Did you miss Daddy? He grins, stroking the struts. 

The two beep in agreement. 

“And have you two been good while I was gone?” He believes them not at all when they reassure him that they had. Troublemakers both of them. 

“I wonder where they could have possibly learned that from?” JARVIS asks when Tony tells them just that.

He points to the nearest camera. “Did I ask for sass young man?” 

“I always hear sass when you talk Sir, but usually it’s subtext.” 

Tony throws his hands in the air. “No more pop culture for you. Honestly. What does a person have to do to get a little respect around here?” Then he flinches, hearing the echo of Howard’s words. Great. Ugh. No. So much for that joke then. He waves JARVIS’ concern off. “It’s fine Jay, just something I ate.” Lies. All lies. Fortunately he isn’t called out on it. 

“Naturally Sir. What would you like to begin with?” 

“Why all of it Jay, you know me.” 

JARVIS sighs. “You are correct, Why would I ever believe that you would start small?” The workshop glows in the light of holograms. 

Tony cracks his fingers. Time to get to work. He is in a haze of progress when JARVIS announces - someone’s - arrival. Absently he waves them in without bothering to look up. Chances are it will be one of the team bringing him leftovers since he missed supper. It wouldn’t be the first time and it will not be the last. 

And he’s right. It’s just delivered by one of the last people he was expecting. “Hey kiddo,” Howard greets awkwardly. 

Tony is torn between tensing and wincing. Tensing because this is still Howard, even if it isn’t the one he just fought with. WIncing because - wow. Just wow. This is so painful to hear and  _ so _ terrifyingly out of character. 

Howard’s expression says he knows exactly that. “Yeah,” he shrugs, “not my best. But I have food. Jarvis,  _ your _ Jarvis, insisted and the others said this is pretty normal for you. Fair warning, but he wasn’t too happy to hear that.” There is a surreal expression on his face as he talks. 

“Flamingo hens,” he mutters.

“Flamingos?” Howard blinks, “Are you comparing them to Bernard?” 

It takes a minute to remember who he is talking about, but once he does he is helpless against the laugh that escapes. Oh good lord, how could he ever have forgotten? The flamingo. The  _ flamingo _ . Oh how Jarvis had hated that thing. Made even worse by the fact that Howard insisted he was family. Bernard Stark. The devil in pink himself. 

It’s one of the few good memories he has of Howard. He had been young, no more than four, surely, but he remembers the smile on Howard's face. The tease in his voice as he grinned at Jarvis. The knowing glint in his eyes as he brought up the story, just because he could. The unheard of playfulness. How could he have ever forgotten? Probably on purpose. A form of self defense. He was happier talking about that damn flamingo than he ever was about Tony. The thought is enough to sober him up again. 

“Oh hell,” Howard sighs as he sets the plate down on one of the few empty spots on the table. He leans against it, almost defeated somehow. “This is why I never wanted kids.” 

The words aren’t a surprise, they had been suspected in fact, but hearing them is still a slap in the face. They hurt more than any broken bottle ever did. He jerks back as if he had actually been hit. 

Howard is grimacing when he finally meets his eyes. “Don't get me wrong, you are an amazing person. Anyone with half of any sense would be proud of you. But seeing you and me together,” the grimace deepens, “Seeing how he treats you,” he shakes his head, “I always swore I would never turn into my father. Looks like I failed miserably there.” 

Wait - what? Tony can admit that this isn’t what he was expecting. 

“I’d say be glad you never met your grandfather, but it wouldn't be all that different frankly. I never used the belt, did I?” There is a desperate note in his voice as he asks. 

Tony shakes his head, still feeling a bit speechless after all of this. 

“Thank god for small mercies then.” 

That is enough to break something in Tony. Small mercies? Maybe for him. Maybe for Tony too, although it certainly doesn’t feel like it right now. “No,” he snaps, “you’d just rather tear me down with words instead - unless you were drunk. Then it was verbal abuse  _ and _ hurling things at me. And in case you were wondering, you were drunk  _ a lot _ .” 

Howard flinches. Good. 

Now that Tony has started he can’t stop. The words rush out of him like a broken damn. He makes no effort to hold them back, having done so for so long. “But thank god you never used the belt right? Growing up all I ever wanted to do was prove myself to you. Prove I was worth your time. Your attention. Your love. I never got it by the way. Until the day you died I was a disappointment to you. But thank god you never went that far. I have self esteem issues, self worth issues and a number of crippling daddy issues to this day. I simultaneously cling too hard to people while pushing them away. I wait for people to use me and accept it when they do. That’s all I’m good for after all. Nothing else.

“You made sure I knew that. Made sure I know what I was really worth in the long run. A waste of time and effort. That I would never be worthwhile. Never measure up to the altar of Captain America. Because Captain America was what mattered. Captain America was the pinnacle that I could never reach. Captain America would forever be worth me than me. 

“I never heard ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m proud of you’ or even a damn ‘well done son’. All I ever heard was criticism and anger and disappointment. But small mercies that you never used the belt, right?” 

Tony is breathing hard by the end of it as if he had just run a marathon. The adrenaline racing through him makes everything sharper. More detailed than ever. His fingers twitch with the need to move. To do something. In front of him Howard is pale. His eyes are wide and his expression is a mixture of horror and grief.  _ Good _ . Part of him - a dark, ugly part he rarely acknowledges - revels in the way he is cringing away from him. Almost as if  _ he _ is the one afraid of Tony. Fears his words. Fears his potential actions. Tony - for once in his life - is the one with the power here. For once in his life he is the one in charge instead of the one cowering away, on the defense. Here and now he attacks. 

“I -” Howard starts, but doesn’t finish. Can’t seem to. Either he is speechless or realizes how much they would be worth, here and now. Instead of finishing he slumps in on himself, defeated completely now. He gives Tony a heartbreaking look before turning away. 

That is enough to take the fight out of Tony. This isn’t what he wants, not really. He is yelling at a man who has committed no crimes yet. Who won’t for years. They may share the same face, the same name and DNA, but the man before Tony is not his father. He is far too different for that. That doesn’t stop him from asking, “Why couldn’t you love me?”

That is enough to get Howard to look at him again. “I don’t know,” he says truthfully, “I can make guesses, make excuses, petty theories, but I don’t know the real reason. Makes no damn sense because I am now. I am so proud to learn about you that Pegs is near sick to death of hearing it. She told me I was telling the wrong person, but I wasn’t sure if you would want to hear them or not.”

The words almost make Tony double over with the force of them. They are definitely enough to knock the breath out of him. 

Howard clearly notices - not that that is hard - because he straightens and repeats. “I am so damn proud of you. What you are doing and what you have done is incredible. It’s more than I could ever imagine. Can’t say I love you and I doubt you’d believe me if I did, but I am proud of you. Well done son.” The words are honestly said, if a bit awkwardly. Well if Howard handles emotions as well as Tony that’s no real surprise. 

If he thought the words before were bad - ha! Now he has to grab onto the table for support. Desperately he clings because it is the only thing keeping him up right now. Certainly his legs aren’t doing their job. They are far too weak for that. Shit.  _ Shit _ . Now he is trying to catch his breath for another reason. 

This is - everything Tony has ever wanted, handed to him on a silver platter. There has to be a catch, a price, but he can’t see one. Can’t think of one. Although that isn’t quite true, is it? The catch is that Howard will not remember any of this. He will return to his own time and slowly change into the Howard of Tony’s childhood. No matter how much he means it now, the words won’t matter. Nothing will change. 

Bittersweet, just like everything else. 

Howard clears his throat. “So. Yes. Right.” Then he sighs. “I can see parts of myself all too clearly in my future. I may not like what I turn into, but it’s no mystery where those traits come from. You though, you have too much of the others in you to worry about that. I can see Pegs, Jarvis and Ana so clearly. I can see Maria, for all that I don’t know her yet. At least someone picked up where I failed.” 

There is a growing tension in the air. Stifling and awkward. And yet, strangely enough, Tony has never felt freer. This obviously doesn’t solve all of his issues. This doesn’t fix all the wrongs in his life. But - but now he knows that there is at least a version of his father out there, at one point in his life, that was proud of Tony. That it really isn’t Tony’s fault he was never enough.  _ It wasn’t his fault _ . 

It is enough for now. 

They meet each other’s eyes and can read the exhaustion there. Too many emotions, too fast. Tony feels too raw as well as shaky. Clearly the adrenaline has worn off. Now there is only one thing left he wants and it’s not in the workshop. 

He nods to Howard and escapes to the penthouse. Once there it is a short order to find Bucky. He is in bed, but not asleep, a book in his lap. Without hesitation Tony crawls under the covers and into his arms. 

Bucky pulls him closer without pause or annoyance. Tenderly he presses a kiss into his hair. “Alright sweetheart?” 

Tony just nods, too exhausted to explain. That can wait for later, along with everything else he is currently avoiding thinking about. 

Bucky pulls them down, resting Tony against his side. His arms are a warm, reassuring support wrapped around him. “Sleep sweet thing. I'll be here to guard you.” 

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why Bucky is  _ the best _ . With nary a protest Tony obeys, knowing he is safe. Howard - both of them - will - probably - still be there in the morning, along with the others. Funny how that isn’t quite as upsetting as it was before. Progress. Who knew? 

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so. Anyone who knows me - or has read my stories frankly, because I'm not real subtle about it - knows that I don't like Howard Stark. At all. He's an abusive asshole. What is there to like? Less well known, but no less true, is the fact that I _love_ Agent Carter. It's great writing, it's great plot, the Jarvis' give me life - yeah okay. Point is I like it. Even Howard is pretty likable in it.  
> That's the part that threw me because I refuse to like Howard on principle. (See abusive asshole.) But, then again, the Howard of Agent Carter is not the Howard of Tony's childhood. That much is clear when you stop to think about it and not just react. This story was born out of me doing just that. I wanted a chance to explore this a little more and this bingo was really just an excuse for me to do so.


End file.
